Orange Democratic Movement Party Executive Director Magerer Lang’at ejected from a parliamentary group meeting, after he remarked that the party leader Raila Odinga should resign from politics on October 30, 2014/MIKE KARIUKI
NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 30 – Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Party Executive Director Magerer Lang’at was roughed up and ejected from a parliamentary group meeting held on Thursday after he remarked that the party leader Raila Odinga should resign from politics.
Lang’at is alleged to have made the remarks at a meeting between political parties and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in Nakuru early this week.
Lang’at is also reported to have said that the Orange party was on its death bed, a statement that did not go down well with some Members of the Nairobi County Assembly and party supporters who usually crowd the party headquarters during such meetings.
Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader Elias Otieno told the media that the MCAs were angered by Lang’at statement as they demanded his resignation from the party, terming him a Jubilee Coalition mole.
“We have the taken the responsibility to clean the party and ensure that it remains with people who are loyal. Magerer Lang’at has been a liability we don’t want to see him again here,” he said.
MCAs and the youths stormed the venue of the meeting, pulled Lang’at out of his seat and roughed him up while Odinga and Wiper Democratic Movement Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka watched in disbelief.
The former MP was forced to flee as the youths who had by then deflated his car tires gave chase. He was only saved by police officers in a patrol car who were driving near the area.
ODM Secretary General Professor Anyang’ Nyong’o condemned the attack and assured that ODM would probe the attack and take a decision on the matter next Tuesday.
“Such grievances should be handled within the organised framework of the party. This kind of action besmirched the name of the party… the NEC will meet to make specific decisions on this matter,” Nyong’o stated.
At the same time, more than 20 MPs from both CORD and Jubilee Coalition from the Rift Valley condemned the attack on Lang’at during a press conference at Parliament Buildings.
The former Kipkelion MP is among the few allies from the vote-rich Rift Valley region who remained with Odinga after Deputy President William Ruto left the Orange party to form the United Republican Party after a fall out on Odinga’s handling of the 2007 post election violence suspects and eviction of Mau Forest settlers.
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